Republicans Blackmail Democrats in Congress over Minimum Wage
"Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) said in a statement, 'Republicans are playing politics with the lives of hardworking people. . . . It's political blackmail to say the only way that minimum wage workers can get a raise is to give tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans.'"
Republicans have made their position clear: the poor can have a $2.10-per-hour raise only if the rich can get richer by not having to pay taxes on inherited estates of up to $10 million. They've created a catch 22 situation for the democrats by tacking the estate tax issue onto the minimum wage bill. If the democrats don't want to allow the estate tax break, they'll have to vote against the bill—which means the minimum wage increase will not be approved. Then the republicans will be able to accuse the democrats of voting against the minimum wage increase, when they're the real bad guys who made it impossible for the democrats to support citizens earning poverty-level wages.
What can we do? How about introducing a new bill that would change the way in which laws are passed by prohibiting more than one topic to be addressed in any one bill.? Do you suppose we could still have a democracy if we took away the ability of the political parties to hold hostage the well-being of citizens who are not wealthy?
Republicans have made their position clear: the poor can have a $2.10-per-hour raise only if the rich can get richer by not having to pay taxes on inherited estates of up to $10 million. They've created a catch 22 situation for the democrats by tacking the estate tax issue onto the minimum wage bill. If the democrats don't want to allow the estate tax break, they'll have to vote against the bill—which means the minimum wage increase will not be approved. Then the republicans will be able to accuse the democrats of voting against the minimum wage increase, when they're the real bad guys who made it impossible for the democrats to support citizens earning poverty-level wages.
What can we do? How about introducing a new bill that would change the way in which laws are passed by prohibiting more than one topic to be addressed in any one bill.? Do you suppose we could still have a democracy if we took away the ability of the political parties to hold hostage the well-being of citizens who are not wealthy?
